Off to Ecuador!

Well, we did it. We took the plunge and bought plane tickets to Quito, Ecuador for October 7 through April 1. I haven't looked for a job yet, but have read that it's much easier to do so once you arrive in the country of choice. My husband and I have decided that we'll travel for a little while when we first arrive, so keeping commitments to a minimum seems to be the best choice. We now have a long list of things to achieve before we go, including cleaning out an apartment in which we've lived for over three years, getting vaccinations, leaving behind our steady jobs and preparing for the adventure that is to come. Wish us luck!

Bridge-Linguatec Video

Bridge-Linguatec has recently added video to its online TEFL course. Though video is a great way to incorporate interactive multimedia learning, I feel it should only be used when it can actually add something to the experience. the whole first portion of the video for module 2 would have been better presented as text. It simply featured a man speaking, and the strength of video is to show physical examples. While an example of how to correct errors in the classroom was featured in the second portion of the video, the acting was poor and the quality was low. Hopefully the other videos for the course are stronger and more purposeful. All of that, however, is not to say that I'm regretting my choice. I still find the program's navigation appealing, the content satisfactory, and the tutor feedback superior.

Quito

My husband and I are now planning to go to Quito, Ecuador. The cost of living is among the lowest in Latin America and we've read and heard many times that it wouldn't be hard for both of us to get English-teaching positions there. The climate doesn't look to be nearly was hot as I initially assumed. I suppose the high elevation cancels out the proximity to the equator to some degree. I still haven't received my passport, which I applied for back in March so I recommend that anyone considering traveling outside the States get his or her passport ASAP. Estimated date of departure is sometime in October. I'm finding that I can get round-trip plane tickets for around $60o and am hoping that we can use our $400 Delta vouchers outside the U.S. We'll see...

Costa Rica

I'm leaning toward going to Costa Rica now, considering that I won't be available for employment until mid-September. The school year in South America starts in March and I don't necessarily want to wait around Eugene in a state of limbo until then. Also, in Costa Rica there are a lot of opportunities for teaching Business English, so my endorsement from Bridge Linguatec should help in that respect.

According to an article from Transitions Abroad, the best way to look for a job in Costa Rica is to just go there and then conduct an active search. I used to feel apprehensive about doing so and thought I wanted to procure a job from overseas, but now I feel more confident. Also, with the cost of plane tickets to Costa Rica being so low (approx. $400 round-trip), it wouldn't be the end of the world if I went down there with my husband, couldn't find a job, and then came back after a month or so and called it a long vacation.

Now that I have a specific country in mind, I plan to do some more specific research to really understand the culture of Costa Rica and also the general requirements for teaching English there.

Bridge-Linguatec Online TEFL Course: Part II

I received responses from my tutor last night regarding my essays submitted for module 1 and was very impressed. She responded within 24 hours of my submission, as Bridge Linguatec promises, and she provided very specific and knowledgeable feedback. I expected something to the effect of, "Looks good, fix this." Instead, she referred to specific parts within my essays and then offered helpful information to enhance my learning experience. For example, she told me that the technique of cutting up an assigned reading and distributing it among students is sometimes called "jigsawing." Very helpful.

Bridge-Linguatec Online TEFL Course

I just finished the first module of thirteen for my online TEFL through Bridge-Linguatec and, thus far, I'm very happy I made the choice I did. Instructions were clear and, as I suspected upon looking through the website, the interface was simple and visually appealing. I plan to complete a module a week, which should be doable even with work and school if I allocate some time to the course on the weekends.

The module 1 test was fairly simple, but I assume that difficulty will increase as I advance through the course. I felt that the two required essays were very worthwhile. They actually got me thinking about how I want to structure my lesson plans and what type of teacher I'll be. I have yet to hear back from my tutor regarding my essays, since I submitted them late last night, but she has been prompt and helpful in her responses to my e-mail queries.

Also, Bridge-Linguatec just added videos to the course that I have yet to watch but am excited to see. I'll report after module 2 to let you know whether or not they prove useful.

Work Visas in Spain

My husband looked into work visas in Spain and it sounds like getting one can be quite a challenge. Apparently unemployment there is high right now, so foreigners are low on the list of people to employ. Also, he found that you need a work permit in addition to the visa, which can take 3-6 months to obtain. Considering that info, we're not sure we could support ourselves in Spain with the $820/mo. I'd make as a North American culture assistant. That was a little disheartening, but I will probably still apply and inquire to find out what our options are.

I also spoke to my current employer about my plans, and he was very helpful and kind. As it turns out, he studied Latin America in school and also travelled all over the region in his 20's. He had lots of awesome tips on connections that the university may have down there. He also offered his opinions on the different regions and provided in-depth descriptions that I've yet to find online or in any article. I plan to solicit his help and advice in the near future, when I've done a little more research and can ask intelligent questions.

My boss Margie has also been very encouraging and has expressed excitement for me throughout the process, despite the fact that I will regretfully have to leave my job as her assistant behind as I pursue this future.

I'm so happy to have shared my plans, because I find that people are generally kind-hearted and supportive, even when your plans are not necessarily in their best interests.

Lucky me

I have to share my luck with applying for a passport at the post office the other day.

I went down there at 12:45 on Friday, but ended up having to leave for a meeting at 1:30.

My meeting finished earlier than expected, at 3:45, and I quickly hopped in the car and raced back to the post office, knowing that the passport office closes at 4:00.

I got there and they had already taken away the "take-a-number" stand. They would only serve people who had a number.

Then, one of two women still waiting for a passport pointed out that a number had been dropped on the ground. Apparently someone took one and then decided to leave.

Holding that number got me in as the last passport application of the day!

The guy handling applications was extremely nice, and gave me a document to show that I'm in the process of applying so I wouldn't have to pay the extra $60 to expedite the passport.

Lucky me.

Getting a Valid U.S. Passport

I'm currently clamoring to get my passport by the April 16th application deadline for the Ministry of Education grant. Unfortunately, passport processing times are high right now "due to high volume." Even expedited service will take 3 to 4 weeks.

It's also a lot more expensive that I figured. $97 for adults, plus $60 for expedited service. Anyhow, I'm heading down to the post office today with the necessary forms, my birth certificate, and 2 photos. Hopefully it won't take long. The best source for figuring out how to go about getting a passport is the U.S. Department of State. They offer a detailed page on passports with info on locations and documentation requirements.

An opportunity arises!

I thought that after 21 required posts that I'd want to take a little break from the blog scene. But, I'm finding that after a couple days without writing I feel strangely suppressed. So, here I am. I'm also writing, however, because I am extremely excited by a job opportunity I just received notice of.

I got an e-mail from the Romance Languages Department at the University of Oregon informing me that there are approximately 1000 grants available, offered by The Ministry of Education and Science of Spain (MEC), for "North American Language and Culture Assistants in Spain."

I meet the requirements insofar as I have a B.A. and intermediate to advanced Spanish skills, but I do not, however, currently hold a U.S. passport. I'm worried that I won't be able to get one by the application deadline of April 16, but I plan to head down to one of the many locations that offer passport services in the Eugene/Springfield area as soon as possible.

If I get this grant, I would work as an English language assistant teacher, which would be perfect considering my aspirations to teach abroad. The duration of the grant is 8 months, from October through May. This timing is perfect for me considering that I will complete my final class for graduation in August. The grants include medical insurance, something I hadn't even considered when looking for a teach abroad job in Latin America. They also include a teacher orientation course. Additional expenses, sucha s food, lodging and transportation, would be my responsibility. This was actually a relief to me considering that I am married and a homestay or host family situation would not work for us.

My only concern is that I would not be able to get a second job in Spain because I'd be there on a student visa. The pay is $820 U.S. dollars a month after taxes, but I'd need to support myself and my husband until he is able to find a job, which may be difficult for him considering that he doesn't speak any Spanish. I'm sure, however, that we can make it work. We're both able to live on very little, and I'm sure there are opportunities for strong, English speaking lads like hisself.

There are a lot of documents to gather and have prepared by April 16. In addition to clamoring for a passport, I need a medical certificate of good health, which I just learned can be obtained from my primary care physician. I also will need to get a certificate of good conduct from the police department. Then, I will have to gather the usual scholarship materials, including a personal statement, letter of recommendation, transcripts, etc. I guess I better stop blogging and get started!

Just the beginning

I've delayed in posting this blog because, while it's the last required post for my J333 Writing for Multimedia course, I feel like I'm just getting started. I know that things will get a lot more interesting once I actually begin applying for jobs, and I can't wait to start posting based on experience rather than research.

The goal of this blog was to illustrate how helpful the Internet and sharing technologies can be when it comes to conducting an international job hunt and preparing to live abroad. I've seen the benefits firsthand and am ever more convinced that:

• The Internet is an invaluable resource for networking
  Forums from sites like Dave's ESL Cafe and TESall.com feature posts from thousands of veteran and aspiring teachers who offer encouraging and honest advice.


• Forums can reveal untruths
  Posts from forums can help you see through the claims and charisma of company websites. While a company or program website will always say it's first-rate, disappointed consumers are more than willing to attest otherwise.


• The Internet is the best source for "destination investigation"
  While books and magazines are fabulous for sprawling picture spreads and engaging editorials, they can't beat the up-to-date nature of the Web. If there's an unprecedented coup in Uruguay, I want to know about it before I book my plane ticket.


• The Internet allows for visibility
  Because anyone can publish information to the Web, its easier than ever to get your name out for all to see.


• The Internet is a great source for learning about cultural acceptability
  There's no better way to access information on and from anywhere in the world. You can find out with the click of a mouse whether or not your idea of professional conduct aligns with that of your intended destination.


• Online job search engines, like Monster and Career Builder, are perfect for passive job hunters
  Because I won't actually be available for global employment until August, I don't feel that I should contact employers for a couple months yet. However, I can post my resumé on career sites and hope that an employer will come to me.


• For job hunts abroad, the Internet is the way to go
  Most employers post job openings online now, because it's cheaper and easier. Also, when conducting an international search, you can access resources you'd never even consider in print—a Peruvian newpaper's classified section, for example.

As a result of this project, having endowed me with these insights and more, I feel well prepared for whatever international opportunity may come my way. It has turned teaching abroad from an unlikely and frightening possibility into something I'm confident I can and will do.

Getting a job—Preparing for an interview: Part II

The CareerFrames International Job Search site also offers an article on "International Interview Advice", written by Mary A. Schumacher. She emphasizes that knowing how to conduct yourself in an international interview is very important, because it will show the employer that you can manage yourself effectively—and without offending anyone—in your new cultural setting.

For example, looking an interviewer in the eye is common practice for Anglo-Americans, but it may be viewed as too forward in another culture. In order to find out about cultural differences such as these, Schumacher recommends searching the Internet and also talking to people who have lived in that country. More specifically, she advises that you "contact a chamber of commerce in that country, and ask about getting in contact with expatriates."

Online you can also check out examples of ESL teacher interviews. In an easy to read question and answer format, these examples provide great insights into what an employer might ask and, even better, how you might respond.

You also may be asked to prepare a sample lesson plan. While this will less likely occur when applying from abroad, I still feel it's a good idea to have one ready. This will make it easier to answer questions about your teaching style when you haven't taught in a formal setting before, like myself. You need only search to find an array of books and online sources that can help you put a lesson plan together. For example, at everythingESL.net, there is a whole section devoted to lesson plans. The site's author, Judie Haynes, also sells a variety of books specific to the age group and your needs. Many of the books even include reproducible classroom activities.

Finally, it's important to make sure you find out what you need to know from the interview. Sometimes you get so caught up in trying impress the employer and fit his or her ideal that you forget to assess whether the situation is right for you. In an article from Transitions Abroad, available in print and online, Jonathan Clark lists the "10 Most Important Questions to Ask" in a TEFL interview. This includes questions regarding hours, class size, teacher resources, benefits and more. I know I'll bring his 10 questions with me whenever I interview, as a reference and as a reminder that my needs are important too.

Print Source

Clark, Jonathan. "The TEFL Job Interview: The 10 Most Important Questions to Ask." Transitions Abroad. May/June 2004.

Getting a job—Preparing for an interview: Part I

I've finally caught up with the progression of my blog and posted my global resume, thanks to an example from The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas by Jean-Marc Hachey. Now that that's done, it's time to start thinking about interviews. After all, if we're going to put our resume out there, we have to be prepared for the phone call and know how to respond to some commonly asked questions.

According to Hachey, who has written an entire chapter on "Interviewing for an International Job," it's very important to "be able to discuss your professional work history in terms of specific skills that match the overseas position" (466). This is what I attempted to do in my global resume. Feel free to take a look if you have any doubt as to what that might entail.

Hachey also offers some very helpful examples of questions unique to an international interview, for example:

• "Are there limiting factors to your availability such as health, family or other extenuating circumstances?"
• "Do you have a realistic understanding of overseas living and working conditions?"
• Do you have the . . . social competence (or soft skills) to work with colleagues of different nationalities?
• Will you fulfill the terms of your contract and demonstrate loyalty to the firm in the face of frustrations?"

From The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas, 467.

He also points out that an international employer will more likely ask about personal information, something I've heard and read many times. For that reason, I included a short section on "Personal Data" in my global resume and know not to be surprised when an employer asks about my marital status.

Hachey points out that international employers really want to know "how you deal with people in different situations," and recommends that you emphasize your interpersonal skills in the interview (468). He also provides a list of typical interview questions, which cover but are not limited to: personal information, strengths and weakness, working style, knowledge about the employer, and adaptation to overseas working and living conditions.

Hachey's interview chapter, which includes a lot more tips and sample questions, can be found in The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas or online (for a fee). There are also a lot of free online sources that discuss international interviews, which I plan to discuss in tomorrow's blog.

Print Sources

Hachey, Jean-Marc. The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas, 4th edition. Toronto, Ontario: Intercultural Systems / Systémes interculturels (ISSI) Inc., 2004.

Getting a job—Methods and resources: Part III

Continued from March 1, 2007

Yet another resource for international job listings is the International Employment Gazette, a magazine that Transitions Abroad describes as “the best job listing for those interested in the field of international education” (87). The Gazette website, however, doesn’t offer much. Even after registering you can’t search for jobs there except for among the “Job of the Week” postings. Articles are simply adverts for directories you can buy, though most of the information is available for free online.

If you’re still a student, I recommend you take advantage of all those university career center resources. I know I have. At the University of Oregon, for example, the Career Center features a small but well stocked international library, an international resources webpage, and international job listings that you can have sent to your e-mail daily.

Last, but certainly not least, Susan Griffith’s Teaching English Abroad provides an invaluable “Country by Country Guide” that includes most every location of interest to an EFL teacher. For each country, she includes a list of schools along with the following details:

• Address
• E-mail
• URL
• Number of teachers employed
• Preference of nationality
• Qualifications
• Conditions of Employment
• Salary
• Facilities/Support
• Recruitment, and
• Contact information

. . . everything you need to see if you qualify and to make contact. I definitely intend to use these listings as a guide for a speculative job search once I feel ready to start sending out my resume.

Print Sources

Griffith, Susan. Teaching English Abroad: Teach Your Way Around the World. 8th Edition. Oxford: Vacation Work, 2006.

“Resource Guide Working, Interning, & Volunteering Abroad.” Transitions Abroad. September/October 2006: 86-87.

Getting a job—Methods and resources: Part II

As mentioned in earlier blogs, a great way to start your online job hunt is to post your resume to career sites like Monster International and CareerBuilder. Imagine how great it would be to have an employer seek you out and offer you a job.

These sites, and many others, also allow you to search for openings in the country of your choice. Monster makes it extremely easy. You can simply select a country and field and then view a list of results.

You can now even find job listings on Craigslist, which has gone international. I was able to choose from 9 different cities from within the Americas and could then easily navigate to the “Education” link listed under “Jobs.” There I found 8 EFL job listings, all written in English and most with salary and qualification requirements posted.

Another approach is to check out classified sections of online newspapers from your country of interest. This will often require, however, that you can read the prevailing language.

When I looked at the job listings in the classified section of La Nacion (an Argentinian paper), I was redirected to ZonaJobs Argentina, which yielded 331 education-related job listings.

Zona Jobs has turned out to be an amazing resource, and also offers sites specific to Colombia, Chile and Mexico. If you're interested in any of these countries, I strongly recommend you check it out.

To be continued . . .

Getting a job—Methods and resources: Part I

How convenient that just as I'm ready to think about methods and resources for job hunting abroad, the UO Career Center would have a seminar on "International Job Search Strategies." I attended yesterday and got a ton of useful information, mostly suggestions for web resources that I otherwise might not have found.

The UO career librarian, Tina Haynes, mentioned the Electronic Network for Latin American Careers and Employment (ENLACE) from the University of Texas. This site really peaked my interest considering I aim to get a job somewhere in Latin America.

The site lists links to a number of organizations and companies offering internships, fellowships, volunteer opportunities and employment listings. It's very easy to navigate, and the job links are nicely separated into categories: government, higher education, international organizations, NGO's, nonprofits, private sector and think tanks.

I was also directed to The Riley Guide, "a massive repository of links to career and job-hunting resources as well as useful career-related articles," maintained by Margaret Dikel (Battey, 89).

I really wish I would have found this site sooner. It offers information on everything from job search methods to tips for interviews and contract negotiations.

Particularly relevant to this post, and this blog, is the article on "How to Use the Internet in Your Job Search". Dikel lists a number of reasons for extending your job hunt online that I'd like to highlight here:

• You can access the Internet at any time, any hour.
• "There are no geographic limits" to the Internet
• "Using the Internet in your search demonstrates leading-edge skills."
• The Internet can foster relationships with others in your field or region of interest.
• "The Internet can help you explore career alternatives and options that you maybe haven't considered."

I hope that by actively using the Internet in my job hunt that I can take advantage of all the benefits listed above.

I still have a lot more to say on Internet job search strategies and resources, so stay tuned for tomorrow's blog.

Print Sources

Battey, Jim. "Online job-hunting resource sites." InfoWorld 22.29 (2000): 89.

Getting a job—Agency vs. self-placement: Part II

Continued from February 26, 2007

Today I want to pick up where I left off and discuss the forum posts I found regarding Footprints Recruiting.

While Footprints had me at hello, it didn’t have me for long thanks to the earnesty of online discussion forums. In one post from TESall.com, the author discusses how Footprints placed her in horrible working conditions. She also points out something I previously hadn’t considered: Letting a recruiter place you with an employer that you haven’t talked to or investigated could potentially be much more risky than heading abroad and doing it yourself.

Recruiters will likely give you minimal input when negotiating your contract, and may place you in a school that suits their needs more than your own. I can’t help but wonder if schools are willing to pay recruiters a fee because they can negotiate low paying contracts that will end up compensating for fees paid.

The next post basically says that Footprints isn’t trustworthy and cares more about commissions than teachers. It offers the following advice, which I’ve heard from other experienced teachers abroad and am becoming increasingly convinced of:

I recommend contacting schools directly, talking to other teachers who are already in the country where you want to teach for job leads, sucking up the cost and flying out to the country and looking around yourself. Jobs are plentiful, don't get caught up in the recruiter trap.”

In fact, there is general distaste for recruiters among the TEFL community, mostly because they are assuming a middle man position where one not need exist.

From everything I’ve heard and read so far, it really sounds like you can negotiate a much better situation and salary if you take a do-it-yourself approach. Though it may require a lot more work at first, the experience you gain and the job itself will probably be worth it in the long run.

Getting a job—Agency vs. self-placement: Part I

So let’s assume you’re certified and have your resume ready to go. Now how do you get a job?

There are a lot of organizations out there willing to place you in a teaching position, usually for a not-so-small fee. Bridge-Linguatec, for example, offers TEFL job placement for $620. Alliance Abroad offers job placement packages that include accomodations, meals and other necessities but cost a ton—$3300 to volunteer your services in Costa Rica for 13 weeks!

So, when I happened upon Footprints Recruiting, Inc., which claims to be “a FREE ESL Teacher Placement Agency,” I was both interested and suspicious. What’s the catch?

According to the website, there isn’t one. The company charges the employers a fee for sending qualified teachers to their schools, but does not take a portion of my wages nor charge me any hidden fees.

It offers placements in four continents (Asia, Europe, Africa or South America) and claims to offer lesson plan support, visa assistance, contract negotiations, country orientations and more!

This sounds great, especially considering the high price tag on other placement services. But, before I get sucked in to all the benefits listed on the company webpage, I better calm down and investigate it as thoroughly as I did the online TEFL providers.

I checked out the company’s Better Business Bureau record and found that it has had 0 complaints within the last 36 months. So far, so good.

I then looked for online forums and found a very helpful series of posts on Footprints Recruiting from TESall.com. One post says, “I've heard they are indeed reputable. My TESOL instructor recommended them, and i have a friend who is headed over to korea next week after dealing with them...”

Another post rants about “illegal hiring criteria,” upset by the fact that Footprints Recruiting “restricts their jobs to degree holders only even though the country or posting may not require a degree.” That doesn’t bother me, since a company or school is entitled to request whatever qualification it wants. It is not, in fact, illegal to do so. Actually, knowing that the company requires applicants to have a degree increases my confidence in the service. It indicates to me that qualifications supersede commissions.

I was starting to feel seduced by the promise of free and easy job placement when I came upon several very negative posts that really got me thinking, not just about Footprints Recruiting but about recruitment agencies in general. I’ll discuss my newly aroused reservations in tomorrow’s blog.

To be continued . . .

Creating an internationally accessible resume

Now that you’ve made sure your resume is culturally acceptable, you need to make sure it’s accessible online to employers around the world.

As I’ve done, you can create your own online resume website, but employers won’t likely find it unless directed to it by an e-mail or cover letter.

A more “all-inclusive” approach would be to post your resume to a job hunt engine like Monster.com, which has an international job site where you can post your resume or CV.

There’s also Careerbuilder.com, which features four country-specific job sites and links to a number of country-specific partner sites that also allow you to post your resume online.

Making Yourself Accessible Through Online Video

If you intend to apply from here in the U.S., like me, you might consider providing an online video interview along with your resume. Personal interaction gives in-country applicants an edge, but a video can make you and your personality more accessible to the employer and thereby better your chances.

In Teaching English Abroad, Susan Griffith says that the effort and expense of sending a video abroad is not worth it unless “(a) a school has expressed some interest and (b) you can make a good impression on an amateur video” (105).

However, by posting it online, you eliminate the expense of sending a video abroad and the concern that it might get damaged. Also, with today’s technology, you can create a semi-professional looking video by taking advantage of video editing software like Final Cut Pro for Mac or Adobe Premiere for PC. They are both fairly user friendly and though expensive, they both offer trial versions for 30 days—long enough to complete a project such as this.

I also prefer the idea of posting a video online because in most countries, an employer can more easily watch your video at a computer in his or her office than he can sit down to watch it with a VCR or DVD player.

Yet another benefit is that you can link to your video from online resumes that you may post at sites like those discussed above. For hard copy resumes, I simply intend to cite the link in my cover letter and hope employers choose to visit it.

Look for my video interview, which I intend to post on my blog site within the next couple of weeks. Maybe it can give you ideas, or even better, you can send me ideas on how to improve it!

Print Sources

Griffith, Susan. Teaching English Abroad: Teach Your Way Around the World. 8th Edition. Oxford: Vacation Work, 2006.

Creating an internationally acceptable resume: Part II

(Continued from February 22, 2007)

Mary Anne Thompson notes that "most multinational companies will expect you to speak the languages of their country and English," and recommends that you prepare a version of your resume in both languages.

That's a relief. I'd wondered at times whether my Spanish-speaking skills could actually hurt my chances; I thought employers might assume I'd use Spanish too freely in the classroom and not provide enough English speaking experience to the students. As it turns out, most sources say that most employers consider speaking the language a bonus.

Thompson also points out that "companies want to 'see' and 'hear' actual proof of your language skills." I'm more comfortable with writing in Spanish than speaking, but I think I can get along alright. Much harder than speaking is comprehending what native speakers are saying. You just don't get the needed colloquial experience in a university setting. In any case, this tells me I need to practive my speaking and comprehension skills more before I go.

Another aspect to creating a global resume that I never would have even considered is that "paper sizes are different dimensions in different countries." You mean every country in the world doesn't subscribe to the 8 1/2 x 11 format? It's important to reformat your document for the recipient so he or she can print it out with ease.

I was also surprised to learn from The Complete Guide to International Jobs and Careers, which is also partially available as an online e-book, that many international employers expect a 5-8 page resume. Some employers may perceive the 1-page resume accepted here in the U.S. as showing slackness.

If you're still wanting more info on international resume preparation, Monster.com offers a succinct article on International Resume Choices.

In my next blog I'll go beyond talking about resume acceptability and discuss accessibility. How can you take the greatest advantage of the Internet and sharing technologies to make your resume available to employers worldwide?

Print Sources

Krannich, Ron and Caryl. The Complete Guide to International Jobs and Careers. Manassas Park, VA: Impact Publications, 1992.

Thompson, Mary Anne. The Global Resume and CV Guide: Advice from the Experts in Executive Search and Recruitment. Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2000.

Creating an internationally acceptable resume: Part I

In The Global Resume and CV Guide: Advice from the Experts in Executive Search and Recruitment, Mary Anne Thompson offers invaluable advice on creating an internationally acceptable resume. Some of her tips can even be found online at Job Web, yet another excellent resource.

Thompson recommends that when job hunting abroad, you “find out what is appropriate vis-a-vis the corporate culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision.”

In my case, I’ll be applying for jobs in a number of countries. That begs the question: What do I do when what is culturally acceptable in Costa Rica, for example, is not acceptable in Argentina? That, Thompson writes, is the challenge. I must come up with a resume that is simultaneously acceptable to a variety of cultures.

While creating a great global resume requires research on the norms of a specific region, Thompson offers broader advice on cultural variations that applies in any case. I highly recommend that you check it out. I already found a number of things I did incorrectly when drafting my own global resume, and I assume many other North Americans make the same mistakes.

Because “education requirements differ from country to country...stating the title of your degree will not be an adequate description.” Oops...in my increasingly apparent, ethnocentric way, I just assumed that everyone knew what Journalism and Spanish degrees from the University of Oregon entail.

While the U.S. and other countries prefer work experience listed in reverse-chronological order, some countries may prefer chronological listings (i.e. “’oldest’ work experience” to most recent). I found a way to figure out this particular by visiting Yahoo Answers, which has an array of country links listed at the bottom of every page. I selected Argentina, for an example, and then searched “resume” to come up with the following advice:

“Un resume, no difiere mucho de un curriculum en español, solo tienes que poner tus datos generales, luego tu experiencia profesional empezando por el trabajo mas reciente, la experiencia academica, algunos cursos, idiomas y paquetes de computo que manejes y referencias personales.”

For those who don’t speak Spanish, this essentially tells me the elements that my Argentinian resume should include and that I should start with my most recent job—”el trabajo mas reciente”—and work my way down.

Obviously, speaking the language of my intended destination helped in this instance, but don’t distress if you’re English-only. By simply Googling “international resume (insert country name here),” you’re sure to come up with tips written in English but tailored to your destination. Just to show how easy the Internet makes this task, I’ve included links to a few articles on country-specific resume requirements:

• Japan: Resume and Rirekisho
  
• Spain: Find a “Real” Job in Spain
  
• Australia: Guide to writing a great Australian resume/cv
  
• France: French Résumés—Le CV français

Print Sources

Thompson, Mary Anne. The Global Resume and CV Guide: Advice from the Experts in Executive Search and Recruitment. Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2000.

To be continued . . .

Getting certified: Part VI—Are we there yet?

I’ll try to keep my assessment of the other major TEFL players brief, since I know that you and I both are getting anxious to sign up for a program.

International TEFL Teacher Training (ITTT) has what is, in my opinion, a bad user interface. The site has highlighted text and elements that light up when I mouse over them but do not allow me to link through to the desired information. Very frustrating. The home page is text heavy, and the graphics are amateurish.

On the positive side, it offers a 100-hour online certificate, which is the most time-intensive online certificate I’ve found yet. However, I can’t imagine 100 hours of trying to navigate through what I assume, by the looks of the website, will be a poorly organized program. Another benefit of ITTT is that it offers job placement services at no extra cost, a rarity among online providers.

It is accredited by the International Association of TESOL Qualifying Organizations (IATQUO), which already raised a red flag in my mind since I read somewhere that there is no international TEFL accrediting body. I then read the following on the blog I reference earlier:

“IATQUO or the International Accreditation of TESOL Qualifying Organisations is one of those clever little schemes where a school decides it can’t get accreditation through the usual channels so they set up their own accrediting agency...”

While the prospect of job placement assistance is very attractive, a disagreeable interface and sketchy accreditation make me say NO thank you to ITTT.

As for the International Teacher Training Organization (ITTO), it has a decent user interface. Like i-to-i and Bridge-Linguatec, it charges $295 for its basic online TEFL course of about 40 hours.

It offers certificate recipients the opportunity to go to Guadalajara for 5 days of in-classroom experience, but does not discuss the strings attached. The website only says to “please contact us for the exact fees.” Exact fees? I don’t even see the inexact fees listed anywhere.

Like ITTT, ITTO offers free job placement to its students, but I can’t help but feel like they are both compensating for something. It’s like the small man syndrome of TEFL courses. All the unsubstantiated promises and hyperbolic sales points scare me rather than convince me.

Also, while ITTO is a member of several ESL institutions, it doesn’t appear to be accredited. If anyone finds out otherwise, please let me know.

So what will it be?

Though there are a lot more providers out there—enough to warrant a book rather than a blog—I am ready to take the plunge. I am going to go with the Bridge-Linguatec online TEFL course, with the Business English and Young Learners endorsements. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on how it goes.

Getting certified: Part V—How about Bridge-Linguatec?

The Bridge-Linguatec online TEFL certificate already has a couple things going for it in my book. First, it has a professional and easy- to-navigate website. I think that when signing up for an online education program, this is something very important to examine. It is highly likely that the appearance and usability of the website will reflect those of the online learning tools you'll have to interact with for at least 40 hours. So, you should probably make sure you find the site appealing.

Second, when I called to clarify the price of adding on the “Young Learners” and “Business English” endorsements, the representative simply answered my question. She didn’t pounce on me, throwing out offers and desperate attempts to win my business like the i-to-i rep did.

My confidence in Bridge-Linguatec is also bolstered by the fact that Cambridge has certified it to offer the highly esteemed, onsite Cambridge CELTA.

Bridge-Linguatec has a satisfactory Better Business Bureau record, with 0 complaints filed within the last 36 months. Unlike my experience with i-to-i (which changed from having an unsatisfactory to a satisfactory record within a matter of weeks), I found the exact same report on Bridge-Linguatec when I checked a few weeks ago.

Accreditation

Bridge-Linguatec is accredited by ACCET, the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training. The i-to-i program is also accredited, but by the Open and Distance Learning Council (ODLQC).

It’s hard to say whether one type of accreditation is better than another, but I found a blog on ”TESL Accrediting Bodies” that offers some useful information. The author points out that while the ODLQC visits the applying school (a bonus), it “accredits everything else under the sun besides TESL courses from ‘Acupressure & Acupuncture’ to ‘Zen for Modern Living.’” He or she also notes that ODLQC charges an annual fee for accreditation, so it obviously has vested interests. The same blog unfortunately does not discuss ACCET, Bridge-Linguatec's accrediting body. However, ACCET outlines its extensive accreditation process online.

I’ve also learned throughout this process, from the blog mentioned above and from a Dave’s ESL Cafe post, that some TEFL certificate providers will actually start accreditation programs in order to accredit themselves. Another thing to beware of.

Conclusions

From my research, I’ve personally deduced that Bridge-Linguatec is stable, usable and likeable—altogether able as a certificate provider. Tomorrow we’ll see how a couple other competitors measure up.

Getting certified: Part IV—How about i-to-i?

(Continued from February 18, 2007)

In my mission to find authentic reviews, I became increasingly frustrated. It seems that i-to-i has paid just about every ESL source to promote it. Even within the informal Dave’s ESL Cafe discussion forums, i-to-i representatives were posting “friendly notes” about their program.

The librarian in the University of Oregon Career Center couldn’t tell me anything about specific online programs, but recommended that I check them out online through the Better Business Bureau. I thought this was a great idea, and a couple of weeks ago found that i-to-i had an unsatisfactory record, with two unresolved complaints. Then, today I looked back and all of a sudden they have a satisfactory record. It showed that there was just one complaint regarding advertising issues that has already been addressed. Apparently the Better Business Bureau made an update within the past few weeks. I couldn’t even find archives to show the company’s ratings from past reports.

This, along with the redesigned website and company sponsored blog posts caused me to pause and think about some of the disadvantages of research on the Internet.

Because the Internet is easily updated and constantly evolving, you can’t rely on its permanency the same way you can with print sources. Potentially revealing information can be there one day and gone the next.

Also, there is high potential for fraud among blogs and discussion forums. That person who says he just loved his experience with i-to-i could be an i-to-i representative posing as a past participant.

I still think the good outweighs the bad, because I wouldn’t even be able to find so much information without the Internet. And in the end, I was actually able to find a couple of believable, seemingly authentic reviews.

One review discusses i-to-i’s volunteer placement services rather than its online TEFL certification program. I still feel, however, that it provides insights as to how the company operates. It says that i-to-i charged volunteers and then placed them with Habitat for Humanity. Those volunteers were surprised to find that others, who volunteered for Habitat directly, didn’t have to pay a dime. The review also expressed that i-to-i was not helpful at all when it came to in-country assistance.

Another review, from the AAC ”TESL/TEFL Courses” forum also critiques i-to-i’s customer service, this time in regards to the actual online TEFL certification:

“i-to-i is OK but will not prepare you for the real world or the travel and their customer service response is generally 4-7 days rather than the 8 hours they post.”

From what I’ve learned so far, I don’t feel that i-to-i is the program for me. Perhaps Bridge-Linguatec or International TEFL Teacher Training will come out ahead, after I investigate them in tomorrow’s blog.

Getting certified: Part III—Which online program do I choose?

I’ve found it difficult to assess the quality and validity of online programs. If you call the company and ask the representatives, they’ll obviously make their program sound fabulous. And even if you ask to speak to past participants, the company isn’t going to link you to someone who didn’t have a positive experience.

When I spoke to a representative from i-to-i, it really felt like the sales calls I often receive at work—“I’ll throw in this and that, and boy do we have a deal for you!” That, along with the very “car salesy” feel to the website made me uneasy. I also caught several spelling errors among the i-to-i webpages that immediately lowered my confidence in what they had to offer. Of course, as I was writing this I visited their website again to find examples and it has been completely overhauled. According to a press release distributed through the Online Press Release Service, i-to-i's new site went live on February 1, 2007. Perhaps it was getting negative feedback from others as well.

Anyway, based on my apprehension, I decided to look for articles, blog posts and actual participant reviews of the i-to-i program. I found one article by Kenneth Beare that offers a very positive critique. He reviewed i-to-i's 10 module online course and describes it as “top notch” and encompassing “everything a new teacher of EFL or ESL needs to know.”

I looked at Beare’s biography, however, and noted that he personally opted to get a TESOL diploma from Trinity College London. That, along with the promotional tone of the article made me suspicious. It read like an i-to-i pamphlet.

I’m very leery nowadays of word of mouth marketing, which many companies employ by paying columnists and experts to promote their product through articles or blogs. So, I embarked on a journey to find other, less formal sources that would provide a more authentic review.

To be continued . . .

Getting certified: Part II—Onsite or online?

Onsite certification programs are generally recognized as superior to online programs, mostly because they can provide experience teaching real students. However, they can be extremely expensive and have geographic limitations. I, for example, living in Eugene, would have to drive to Portland every day for 4 weeks to complete an onsite course.

Susan Griffith writes:

“the most useful qualification for anyone intending to spend a year or more abroad as an English teacher is a Certificate in English Language Teaching validated by one of the two examination bodies active in the the field of ELT ESOL, the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations and Trinity CollegeLondon”(22).

The Cambridge certificate is offered through different programs worldwide. International House USA is just one of many providers. It offers the CELTA, validated by the University of Cambridge, and a number of other English teaching and learning courses. I considered signing up for the program in Portland, but the steep tuition ($2,200 plus fees), discouraged me immediately.

Linda Galas, who currently works for International House in Portland, noted back in '96 that “the cost of the certificate program is worth it only for those who plan to teach for at least two years and don’t commit themselves to staying in one country that pays low wages.” Campbell, 14). But does that still hold true today, with competition ever increasing?

You certainly can’t ask the certificate providers, because they will always say you need what they have to offer. So, I spoke to Kevin Rushings, a veteran teacher abroad. He opined that when you’re starting out, any TEFL certificate will do. His recommendation was that I just get a quick and cheap certificate, because not even the most expensive program can really prepare you for what you’ll encounter abroad. The real learning always happens on the job.

There are even a couple of articles that discuss the benefits of learning how to teach ESL online. According to an article from Educational Media International on "Multimedia in Modern Language Teacher Education," online language teaching courses present unique advantages:

"Computers can present teachers with actual examples of modern language teaching in settings that are a much closer match to the contexts of practice in which they will eventually have to teach a foreign language."

An article from Open Learning also discusses benefits of online learning for language teachers. Authors Cheng and Myles found that online learning is, in many ways, less restrictive. Rather than being bound to a particular text, readings could link out to numerous sources. Correspondingly, online courses are more easily personalized. With the Internet as their learning environment, teachers could easily search matters relevant to them personally rather than be confined to the topics of the classroom (35). Cheng and Myles also emphasize the advantage of access to discussion boards for interactivity and interaction between participants (36).

Another benefit I see, though obvious, is that online learning can take place 24 hours a day. If I feel like completing a course module at 2 am, I can. It's flexible, and perfect for someone like myself who is concurrently working and going to school full-time.

So, based on those articles, Kevin's advice, and the fact that I intend to teach abroad for about a year, the cheaper and more accessible online programs seem like the better option for me.

I now feel better about succumbing to the quick and easy answer of an online program, but I still want to register for the best one possible. After all, I still want to get the most for my money.

If you still feel uncertain of whether an onsite or online program would be best for you, try visiting the International Teaching Training Organization, which provides an extensive online article on the difference between its online and onsite programs. I assume that the advantages and disadvantages that ITTO describes are very similar in other programs. Bridge-Linguatec, for example, provides a similar "online vs. onsite" article.

Sources

Cheng, Liyeng and Johanne Myles. "Managing the Change from On-Site to Online: transforming ESL courses for teachers." Open Learning 18.1, 2003.

Griffith, Susan. Teaching English Abroad: Teach Your Way Around the World. 8th Edition. Oxford: Vacation Work, 2006.

Raya, Manuel Jiménez. "Multimedia in Modern Language Teacher Education." Educational Media International 40.3/4 (2003): 305-317.

Personal Interview. Kevin Rushings. January 27, 2007.

Getting certified: Part I

Even if you don’t technically need TEFL certification where you’re going, you may want it anyway. First, it can help you prepare and justify yourself as a teacher. An article from the Christian Science Monitor quotes Dorothea Heberle: “A lot of people think that if you speak English, you can teach it, which really isn’t true” (14).

Also, with an increasing number of graduates and retirees opting to teach abroad, the competition is getting tougher. In the CSM article mentioned above, Kim Campbell writes that “getting a job is often no longer simply a matter of showing up and proving conversational ability” (14). And that was in ’96.

More recently,Susan Griffith warns that "even Certificate-holders are having to struggle to find a decent job, mainly because so many more people now have the qualification than five or ten years ago" (20).

But the overwhelming consensus is still that certification will increase your odds of getting a good job. The less qualified you are, the more likely you are to be hired by cowboy operations, which tend to have poorer working conditions.

You can get certified in the U.S. or abroad, onsite or online, in a weekend or in a month, by Cambridge or Trinity, Bridge-Linguatec or i-to-i . . . the options seem endless.

I feel overwhelmed by all that’s available, and by reading forum posts from sites like Dave’s ESL Cafe, I know lots of other people feel the same.

In forthcoming blogs, I’m going to try my best to provide a comprehensive and helpful overview for you and myself. Hopefully then we’ll both feel confident enough to take the plunge and sign up for a program that can prepare us for a successful future abroad.

Print Sources

Campbell, Kim. “Teaching English abroad gets harder.” Christian Science Monitor 88.84 (1996): 14.

Griffith, Susan. Teaching English Abroad: Teach Your Way Around the World. 8th Edition. Oxford: Vacation Work, 2006.

Choosing a destination: Part II

When does the school year start?

In addition to varying health and safety issues, different countries have different academic schedules that may affect your plans. While some schools offer jobs year-round, others only hire in the months just before the school year.

According to Griffith, “employers normally choose their staff several months before they are needed, so most schools advertise between April and July for jobs starting in September” (88).

To find out when school starts in your country of interest, I would recommend simply searching “academic school year (insert country name here).” When I typed the above and inserted Argentina, I immediately found the American Youth Abroad website, which lists start and end dates for a number of countries. The Argentinian school year, for example, goes from February through December, and the Ecuadorian school year goes from August through July.

Considering that I am looking to start a job in August or September, that might indicate to me that Ecuador is a better bet—provided of course that it meets my other criteria.

Certification required?

Different countries will also have varying certification requirements, often based on the need within that particular region. So, before you invest in a $2,000 TEFL certification program, find out whether or not it is necessary. I plan to address issues of certification further in a later blog.

Standard of Living and Currency Stability

It’s a good idea to investigate standard of living and currency stability online, because the Internet can keep up with the rapidly changing socioeconomic scenes that affect some countries.

Since I’m interested in learning about Latin America, I signed up for a trial subscription to Latin America Monitor, which provides "succinct country-by-country analyses" of the current business environment, economy, and risks within the region.

It's a service offered by Business Monitor International, which also provides reports on Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It's very expensive for a paid subscription, but the 3-month trial version is plenty for someone like you or me who simply wants an up-to-date overview.

One thing I find frustrating is that the Monitor breaks Latin America up into 6 regions, but only allows you to access information on 1 of the 6. I assume that it does the same for the other regions. So, if you haven't narrowed your area of interest down that much yet, it won't give you everything you need to decide. Also, the articles have definitely been written in "business-speak," so be prepared for references to BMI and CPI and lots of other terms that I left behind in Econ 101.

Testimonials

To avoid such stiff and incomprehensible reports on your country or region, testimonials from former or current teachers abroad are priceless. They add a personal dimension to your research and are actually enjoyable to read.

I find that TransitionsAbroad.com is an invaluable resource for country specific testimonials. I navigated to the Latin America page, written by the much referenced Susan Griffith, and found articles on teaching English in:

• Mexico
  
• Costa Rica
  
• Ecuador
  
• Chile
  
• Colombia
  
• Panama
  
• Brazil
  
• Paraguay,
  
• And more!
  

There are similar websites from Transitions Abroad for teaching in Asia, Europe, and just about any location you can imagine. Many of these testimonials cover living conditions, challenges and risks in a much more interesting and understandable way than an expensive business report.

Last, but certainly not least, Susan Griffith's Teaching English Abroad offers a country-by-country guide with information on cultural issues, school year start and end dates, living conditions and language schools within a number of countries. I definitely recommend this source if you're looking for a comprehensive overview of your intended destination. However, I believe the Internet is best for retrieving up-to-date information on current events, safety issues, and things like standard of living and currency stability that can change frequently in regions with less stable economies.

Print Sources

Griffith, Susan. Teaching English Abroad: Teach Your Way Around the World. 8th Edition. Oxford: Vacation Work, 2006.

Choosing a destination: Part I

When you start looking into teaching abroad, people always seem to ask the same question: “Where do you want to go?” This is important to determine early on, especially since different countries and regions have varying qualification requirements.

I still don’t know the answer, because I’ve never really been anywhere and have no personal experience to aid in my decision. But thanks to the Internet, just because I’m not traveled doesn’t mean I have to be uneducated.

Safety

First, it is important to find out whether or not your area of interest is safe. In a New York Times article, Joshua Kurlantzick offers ideas and resources for doing just that.

For example, you can visit the State Department’s International Travel page and find everything from Travel Warnings to information on Health Issues.

I’m personally most interested in teaching in Latin America, so I can look at the travel warnings and find out, for example, that “violence by narcoterrorist groups and other criminal elements continues to affect all parts of [Columbia].” The fact that these warnings are posted online makes it simple to find out about a country's internal issues that you might otherwise be clueless about. After all, the United States media don’t cover a lot of important international issues that a potential resident should be aware of.

Another invaluable site that Kurlantzick mentions is Smart Traveller, from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Simply search by destination and find a comprehensive and frequently updated overview of "Safety and Security" issues, "Local Laws," "Entry and Exit Requirements," "Health Issues" and "Where to Get Help" in your intended destination. Smart Traveller even allows you to subscribe (for free) to travel advisories and bulletins on your area of interest. This is my favorite of all the travel advice sites I've visited so far. It's easy to navigate and extremely detailed, offering not just broad warnings but very specific tidbits (e.g. In Chile "a ploy used by taxi drivers is to switch 10,000 peso notes given to them by passengers for 1,000 peso notes.")

While I feel safety should be among the top considerations when investigating a country or region, there are lots of other important things to consider, including:

• School year start and end dates
  
• Certification requirements
  
• Standard of living
  
• Currency stability
  

I plan to discuss these aspects and more in tomorrow’s blog. Until then, just know that you don’t have to close your eyes and point at a map. Rather, there is a ton of online resources and testimonies that can help you and me decide where we're going.

Print Sources

Kurlantzick, Joshua. “Safe or Not? It Depends on Whom You Ask.” The New York Times 28 January 2007: 6.

Can I really teach? Me?

As I'm about to graduate with degrees in Creative Advertising and Spanish, I feel disenchanted by most of the job options that lay before me. My true desire is to pursue a job teaching Spanish or ESL, but I feel inadequate and unprepared when it comes to my speaking skills (in both languages). However, my interest was sparked when I received an e-mail from Alliance Abroad regarding opportunities for teacher placements in Chile. Though excited by the prospect, my initial thought was, “You can’t do that.”

Then I let the logical side of my brain take over and looked at the actual requirements:

“21-40 years old”
“A native English speaker”
“Basic level of Spanish”
“Holds an undergraduate degree”

I guess I can do that!

Of course, as I started to research more, I found that every program, country, school and individual has a different idea of what should be required.

In an article from The Times Educational Supplement, Gerald Haigh advises that you “don’t go abroad until you are on top of your teaching and able to prepare and deliver your own work confidently” (23). He points out, with good reason, that when coping with a new environment and lifestyle, you don’t want to be overly preoccupied with learning the basics.

Others claim, on the other hand, that you only need to be a native English speaker. TeachAbroad.com, for example, states that “If you are a native speaker you can probably find a job.” And the International Center at the University of Michigan notes on its Teaching Abroad Without Certification page that “your ‘credential’ is simply being a native speaker of the English language."

So who’s right?

More generally, my research leads me to agree with Susan Griffith. She maintains that English fluency alone should not be considered sufficient qualification, but also contends that someone who takes her job seriously and works hard for her students can make the EFL community proud.

In Teaching English Abroad, she writes that “anyone who can speak English fluently and has a lively positive personality has a fighting chance . . .” (14).

Personality

Griffith also points out that “a BA and/or TEFL certficate is no guarantee of ability.” She quotes Marta Eleniak, who after teaching in Spain for a year learned that when it comes to teaching English abroad, you can:

“Forget about your educational experiences. In TEFL you have to be able to do an impression of a chicken, you’ve got to be a performer. And you have to be flexible . . . “(15).

So, I’ve collected that to teach English abroad you need creativity, patience, and flexibility. You need to be committed to your students, outgoing and unafraid to act things out. That is, after all, one of the main ways you’ll communicate.

Resources

If you still have any doubts, try visiting TeachAbroad.com and reading “Is Teaching Abroad for You?”. Also visit i-to-i, which provides an online TEFL trial that includes an interactive version of their courses and a short personality test. Though the sample TEFL courses are painfully easy, questions like “Are you a good listener?” and “Are you lively and outgoing?” may provide insights.

Once you've decided that TEFL is for you, you’ll need to determine your country or region of interest—a daunting task to be discussed in tomorrow’s blog.

Print Sources

Griffith, Susan. Teaching English Abroad: Teach Your Way Around the World. 8th Edition. Oxford: Vacation Work, 2006.

Haigh, Gerald. "Take off for foreign climes." Times Educational Supplement (2000): 23.

Where do I start?

Teaching English abroad can be a great way to enhance your career, study a language and culture, or fund international travels. But beware that when you extend your job hunt beyond national borders, the process becomes far more complex. There are a lot more options, many of which can be hard to investigate from afar. You can’t see your future neighborhood or workplace, and it’s unlikely you’ll be able to meet your employer face-to-face.

Fortunately, a world increasingly connected by the Internet and other sharing technologies makes international job hunts a lot less intimidating.

There are forums like Dave’s ESL Cafe where ESL and EFL teachers share knowledge, experiences and ideas.

There are blogs like ESL Lesson Plan with everything from ideas for classroom activities to discussions of possible workplace issues.

There are even websites for online TEFL certification like i-to-i and Bridge-Linguatec that sidestep the hefty tuitions and geographic limitations of onsite programs.

And international job listings are more accessible than ever before, with newspapers like El Dia offering online classifieds and career sites like Monster: Global Gateway that allow you to search jobs worldwide.

But, despite the unlimited access to all these resources and more, the TEFL scene can still feel completely overwhelming. This blog will attempt to bring all those excellent resources together into a single and more manageable resource—a launching pad for aspiring EFL teachers such as myself. I will aim to show how the Internet and technology don’t have to complicate the process. Rather, they can make the international job hunt easier by providing a means for quick and simple communication between countries and by providing international resources that would otherwise be inaccessible.